Digging and conveying apparatus.



R. P. GREENLEAF. DIGGING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

-APPLICATION 'FILEn1uNE 9,1911.

'Patented July 4, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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E 11u/eil R. P. GREENLEAF. DIGGING ANn CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Patented July 4, 1916.

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R. Pl GREENLEAF. DIGGING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 9. 19H. 1 ,1 89,443. Patented July .4, 1916.

' v l'rwrzfow UNITED sTATEs 'PATENT onirica ROBERT il?. GREENLEAF, OF HUDSON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK BILLING-S, F

' CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DIGGING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 9, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT P. GREENLEAF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Summit and State collect. the material at any pointbetween the side walls of the tunnel. Furthermore,

the track is provided at its forward end with/a movable section which is arranged to be raised or lowered so that the bucket may be filled with material, regardless of its height above the tunnel floor.

'The linvention also resides in the particular construction'of the'bucket and of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J lily/, 1916. serial No. 632,106. l

means for causing the bucket to be filled of any material while the bucket is being Y tion of the frame, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. At the top of the frame and AeX- of Ohio, have invented a certain new and conveyed to dumping position. 60

useful Improvement in Digging and Con- Other novel features consist in the specific veying Apparatus, of which the following means which I have provided for automatiis a full, clear, and exact description. cally opening the rear door of the bucket This invention relates to digging and coii and for simultaneously tilting the bucket so veying apparatus adapted especially for use that the contents may be discharged from 65 in mines to convey ore and other loose mathe latter when in dumping position.

terial atvthe inner end or working face of The above and other novel features conthe drift rearwardly to a point where it may stitute my invention, which may be further be dumped o1" discharged into a car which briefly summarized as consisting in certain may be run into the mine up to the rear end novel details of cons :'ruction and combina- 70 of th'e machine. lions and arrangement of parts which shall The object of the invention is to provide be described in the specification and set loadinvmachinery which is especially adaptforth in the appended claims. ed for use in ar rather narrow drift or tunnel In the accompanying sheets of drawings, of a mine, and by means of which material Figure 1 isa top plan view of the loading 75 -can be picked up and conveyed rearwardly machine constructed in accordance with the through the machine'to dumping position preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is in a very satisfactory and economical Illana side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a side View nor," of the,forward end of the machine; Fig.

A machine constructed in accordance wit-h 4 is a side view of the rear end of the ma- 80 my invention preferably includes a Slllflble chine; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view frame which may be SuppOl'tcd 0H tFHCkS, showing particularly the arrangement of the the wheels of which engage the rails of the reciprocating motor, sheaves and ropes for track laid along the bottom or floor of the shifting the boom back and forth; and Fig. tunnel. This frame is provided With il` G is an en d vi w of the same looking toward i rather long boom which is pivoted to the the right of ig. 5 and showing the boom in frame'at the rear end thereof, so as to swing Section; horizontally and projects forwardly beyond Tho loading nmol-,ino inoludos a from@ 1() the forward end of the frame.. The boom which is preferably supported on trucks 11, supports a tinck along which is adapted to the wheels of which engage the mils of be run a` trolley to which a digging and c01 1 track 1Q which is laid on the bottom or floor veying bucket is attached. The bucket is of the mine tunnel. The frame is provided constructed and operated in a manner Such with a base or floor on which are supported that .it is filled by drawing the saine formotivo devices, hoists and other parts of the wardly along the forward end of the track 4 operating mechanism for the various parts 95 through the loose material, and it is then of the machine, The' frame is provided also adapted to be conveyed rearwardly t0 dumpat the corners with upright members 13 'ming position. As before stated, the boom is which are connected at the top by side frame g pivoted to swingr ,horiontallyg and the range members 14, the latter extending rearwardly of movement is such that the bucket may a considerable distance beyond tho main portending between the side members 14 are L horizontal cross members 15, .and beneath 3. The frame is preferably built almost entirely of struc iiral members, such as angles and channe Pivotally supported at j rolley 'which supports tllisamea and the r v v the rear of the rearward extension of the .'45 near the center of the latter.-

. has an open toi sides of the trolley by means of inwardly.

frame by means of a vertical bolt-17, and extendmg forwardly beyond the frame between the cross member 15 and the cross 'member 16 is a boom 18 which is adapted to bey swung back and forth in a mannerhereinafter described. -The boom which is preferably formed of structural members supports a track 19 which is Lshaped and is 4formed of two channels arranged back to back and spaced a suitable distance apart. The track is arranged to swing with the boom and is in the same vertical plane therevvwith.. At about the center of the frame,

it will be seen that the track has a decided inclination 'forward and downward, and that part of the trackA from the rear end of the" reaches dumping position, as will be ex-v plained.

Arranged to run'along the track 19 1s a trolley 20 which supports a digging and conveyingbucket21. rIhe trolley includes two side frame members 20a provided wlth two sets of inwardly extending studs or axles 22, at the inner ends of which are. two

sets of wheels 23, those supported by one of the side frame members engaging the channel on one sideof the track, and those supported by the other side frame member,

engaging theV channel on the opposite side 4' of the track'.

termed the locking position, 'hold the bucket against turning or rockingl The bucket is trunnioned between the projecting studs 24 which are connected to, theopposite sides of the bucket somewhat This bucket and front, and the digging .part of the buc et is at the lower front edge thereof. The sides and bottom of the bucket lare closed and at the rear there isa swinging door 25 which A`is sum; rted on twosets of pivoted arms 26 and 2 `At the rear of the trolley and extending between vthe sides thereof is a shaft 2,8, the ends ofwhichl p roject beyond thev sides of the trolley and are provided with crank arms 29. The ends of later.

round the shaft 28, the cranks are turned S0 as to cause the cranks and links to assume a dead center position, or a position wherein they are in substantial alinement, as shown 1n ig. 3. iVhen the cranks and links are 1n the position stated, which may be they effectively movement eithervin a counterclockwise direction or in a clockwise direction as the structure is viewed in Fig. 3. To prevent turning of the bucket in a counter-clockwise direction, the parts 29 and 30 serve as tension members, and to prevent turning of the bucket in a clockwise direction these parts serve as compression members or as toggle members, they being then held on or very slightly beyond their dead center position by any suitable stop member 29, such as shown in Fig. 3. At the middle of the shaft is fixed a sheave 33 which is engaged by a tail rope 34 which extends at least partially about the sheave 33 and is dead-ended thereon, this tail rope being for the purpose of Hrst turning the shaft 28 through approximately a half revolution, so as to tilt the bucket about 300 after it has been filled, and

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of substantially pulling the bucket up- Awardly and rearwardly along the track to dumping position.

The bucket is designed to be drawn for.- wardly along the track, so that it may be filled by scooping up the material, by means of one or more ro es, 35, which may he termed head ropes which arepreferably attached to the front axles or wheel su pporting studs 22, and thence extend forwardly,

about a pair of sheaves 3G mounted upon -the forward end of the .pivoted track section 19a. The trend of these ropes, as well as of the other ropes, will be explained in detail l 1`he diiferentlparts of the machine, in-

` cluding the boom, track and bucket are operated and controlled by mechanism located .devices of this mechanism being controlled the cranks are pivotally cnnected `to forwardly projecting links or arms 30 which are pivoted to the sides of the'bucket near the top thereof, as shown at 31, These cranks after it has been filled, and just before it is" moved rearwardly lthrough the machine. By means of coil springs 32, which sulfby the operator while standing on a platform 37 along the side of the lower of the frame. 'For operating the buc {et and portion A .upon the Hoor of the machine, the motive o track, one or more airv engines 38 areI l yemployed,-these engines being shown most clearly in Figgl by dotted lines. -The crank shaft of these engines is geared to a countershaft 3S) which in turn is gearedto two drum shafts 40 and 41. The drum' shaft 40 has mounted thereon two drums 42 4and 43 which are adapted'to be 'alternately clutched to the drum -sh'aft to wind in the'lhead ropes and unwind the tail rope, orto windin'the tail rope and unwind the .head ropes. 'lhe drum'shaftll has mounted thereon, a drum 41a which receives the cable for raising or lowering the p ivoted track section.

From the drum 42, the head-ropes extend (see F ig.r l) carried by the pivol al section of the track and thence about the sheaves 36 at the forward end of the track and" to the trolley of the bucket, as before described.

From the drum 43, the tail rope extends laterally about a. sheave 51, thence upwardly about a sheave 52, thence rearwardly to the rear end of the frame about sheaves 53 and 54, the latter being supported at .the

lower side and rear of the boom. From the i sheave 54, the tail rope extends forwardly "the boom, thence forwardly about a sheave 58 at the outer end Mof the boom, thence downwardly about a sheave 59 carried by the top of the pivoted track section, tsee Figs. 2 and 3), thence upwardly about a sheave 60 carried bythe boom, thence rearwardly about a sheave 61 also carried by the boom, thence laterally about a sheave 62 carried by the frame at one corner thereof, thence rearwardly about a sheave 63, thence downwardly about a sheave 64, and thence laterally onto the drum 41a.

The drums 42 and 43 are provided with suitable clutches (not shown), by means of which either drum may be clutched to the shaft 40, while the other is allowed to turn loosely thereon. The drums are provided withl means indicated yat 65'for receiving brake bands so that suitable tension may be maintained on the rope or ropes.being paid` out In a similar manner, the drum 41EL is lprovided with a clutch and brake. It will be understood that the track section ,19'a is lifted by the engine and that it will descend by gravity, the descent being regulated by Y the brake.

The boom is adapted to be swung .back

and forth by mechanism including a reciprocating air motor 66,jcompr1s1ng a cylinder,

and plunger 67 at the forward end of whichl isa cross head 68. Two cables which are connected to the cross head are employed for l swinging theboom in opposite directions.

One of these cables 69 is attached to one side of the boom and thence extends laterally to one side of the frame about a sheave 70,

thence downwardly about a sheave 71, and

'a sheave 72, and thence extends to and is connected to the forward end of the cross bead.' The other rope 73 passes laterally in the opposite direction and thence extends downwardly about a sheave 74, thence inwardly about a sheave 75, thence rearwardly about a sheave 76, thence ,forwardly about a sheave 77, and along the plunger 67 to the cross head 68. It will be seen by this arrangement that when the plunger is moved rearwardly or in the direction indicated by the arrow, the two ropes 69 and 73 will be shifted in the direction indicated by the -respective arrows, and the boom will be shifted toward the far side of the machine, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. lVhen the plunger is moved in theopposite direction or forwardly, the boom will, of course, be swung in the opposite direction to that in which it was 'swung by the inward movement of the plunger.

To lill the bucket, the latter is moved forwardly along the track by winding in the head ropes and allowing the tail rope to pay cut. The cranks 39 and arms 30 will, because of the springs 32, assume the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and consequently the bucket will be held against tilting movement/in position to scoop up the material lying loosely in the tunnel. It will be understood, of course, that the tension which is ordinarily maintained on the tail rope 1 during the forward movement of the bucket,

will not be suicient to turn the shaft 28 against the action of the springs 32. When the bucket has received the'proper amount' of material, the drum which receives the head ropes, will be unclutched, and the drum which receives the tail rope will be clutched to the shaft so as to cause the tail rope to be wound in. Before the bucket and trolley i are moved rearwardly along the track, the pull on the tail`rope first turns the shaftv 28 and cranks 29 through a half revolution, so as to cause the bucket to be tilted to prevent'the material droppingfrom thebucket,

as it is being carried rearwardly. The wind-4 ing in of theta-il rope causes the trolley and the bucket with its load of material to be conveyed rearwardly along the track. The upright members of the frame and the various other parts supported by the frame are so arranged that the bucket may pass directly through the frame along its course to dumping position. A suitable apron or canopy 78 is arrangedvover the hoisting and operating mechanism to prevent any mate-v rial dropping thereon. f v

Vthen the bucket approaches the rear end of the track, the rear pair of wheels of the trolley ride down the incline so as to cause the bucket, to be tilted to the position shown l in dottedlines in Figs. 2 and'4. At the same 125 time' that the bucket is being tilted, a hook or projection 79 on the door isfengaged by a swinging stirrup80 supported by the boom near the inclined portion of thy track. As' the bucket is being tilted, the lear door of l the bucket is thus lifted so that the contents of the bucket may be -discharged into a car 8l or other member arranged to receive the material. This car as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, is run into the= tunnel along the track upon ywhich the4 loading machine rests.

The bucket can now be moved forwardly along the track to receive another load, the bucket passing down the track either by gravity or by the pull on the head ropes. As the bucket starts from dumping position, the rea'r door is again'closed and the bucket itself assumes 'the position to scoop up another load, the cranks 29 turning to the dead 'center position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as soon Vas the tension onl the tail rope is removed.,or becomes less than the torsional pull of the springs 32. When necessity demands, the pivoted section of the track can be lowered from time to `time so as to enable the bucket to remove the material layer by layer. lso as necessity demands, the boom may be swung backward and forward to collect the material at all points between the side walls of the tunnel.

The movements of the various parts above described are controlled through a number of levers and brake pedals which are grouped so as to be within convenient reach of the operator when stand-ing on the platform before mentioned.` These various parts are shown in rather conventional manner on Figs. 1 and 2. In these figures S2 represents the throttle lever controlling the reciprocating air motor for shifting the boom; yS3 represents the engine throttle; Si represents a double throw lever for controlling lthe twoV clutches controlling the bucket winding drums; and S5 'represents the lever controlling the clutch which is; used to connect the track raising and lowerin 1f` drum to its shaft. At S6. Si' and S8 are shown the various brake pedals for controlling the .movements of the different drums. especially when unwinding. The connections of the levers and rbrake pedals to the various parts which they control need not be illustrated other than in the simple manner here shown, for ythe reason thatl it is believed they do not directly involve any patentable novelty.

lVhile lhave described only the motive devices here shown, that is the air engines and reciprocating air motor fo actuating the, different parts of the machine, nevertheless it is to he understood that as far as the main features of the i-nvention are concerned, different types-'of motors or motive devices may he. employed which may bc operated by -other sources of energy than compressed air.

llaving lclaim 1s:

l. ln a digging and conveying.apparatus,

tlius'descrilml my invention, what a frame, a track extending lengthwisejof the frame,'a trolley adapted to be guided alongv 'the track, a d

igging and conveying buckct a head rope connected sion is placed on the tail rope to move the trolley and bucket rearwardly.

2. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a track extending lengthwise of the frame, a trolley adapted to bev guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket carried by the trolley, means for moving'the trolley and bucket forwardly alongv the track, a tail rope for moving the trolley and bucket rearwardly along the track, and mechanism intermediate the tail rope and bucket for holding the bucket in digging position when it is nn. ved forwardly by the head rope, and for tilting the bucket when tension is placed. on the tail rope to move the trolley and bucket rearwardly.

3. ln a digging and conveying apparatus,

a frame, a track extending lengthwise of the surl ing a rotary crank carried by the trolley, and

a link connecting the crank to the bucket and adapted to be swung into locking relationship with the crank. v

` Jr. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame. a track extending lengthwise of the frame. a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket trunnioned in said trolley and serving to scoop up the material when moved forwardly along the forward portion of the f track, ropes connected to the trolley for mov-A ing the same forwardly and rearwardly along the track, and means for tilting the bucket after it is filled comprising a. crank shaft and crank carried by the trolley and a link connected to the crank and to the bucket. l

5. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a track extending lengthwise thereof, a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging bllcket trunnioned in said trolley and adapted to scoop up the material when moved forwardly along the forward portion of the track, a rope connected to the trolley for moving the same forwardly,a l

crank shaft carried by the trolley, a crank 4secured to said crank shaft, a link pivotally connecting the crank to the bucket, and .a tail rope connected tothe crank shaft for turning the latter so as to tilt thebucket after being filled and for drawing the bucket and trolley rearvardly along the track.

6. In a digging and conveying machine, a

' frame and projecting forwardly beyond the same, a trolleyiadapted to `be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket trunnioncd to said trolley, a rope connected to the trolley for moving thesame forwardly along the track so as to cause the bucket to scoop up the material -when moving along the forward portion of the track, a tail rope connected to the trolley for moving the same rearwardlyl along the track, and mechanism intermediate of the tail rope and the bucket for holding the bucket in the trolley during the digging period, and for tilting the bucket after it has received the material.

T. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a track extending lengthwise of the frar .e and projecting forwardly beyond the same, a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket trunnioned in said trolley, a head rope connected to said trolley for moving the same in a for 'ard direction and for causing the lr cket to scoop up material when moving :long the forward portion of the track, a shaft supported by said trolley, a sheave on said shaft, a tail rope connected to said sheave, and mechanism intermediate of the shaft and bucket for holding the bucket against tilting movement during the'digging period, and for tilting the bucket when said sheave is turned by the tail rope.

S. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a track extending longitudinally of the frame, a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket trunnioned in said trolley, 4a head' rope connected to the trolley so as to move the same forwardly along the track, andto scoop up the material during said forwardl on said shaft, and a tail rope connected to said sheavc for turning the -shaft so as to cause the tilting of the bucket and for drawing the trolley and bucket rearwardly along the track.

9. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a boom pivotedto said frame so as to swing horizontally, a track extending longitudinally through said frame andsupported by said boom, the forward portion of the track being movable relative to the rear portion so that it may be raised and lowered, a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket supported by said trolley and adapted to be filled with material when moving for\ ardly along the movable section of the I track, and ropes connected to thetrolley for moving the same back and forth along tus, a frame, a boom pivotally supported on said frame so as to swing horizontally, a track extending longitudinally 'through said frame and projecting forwardly beyond the end thereof, said track being carried by the boom, the forward portion of the track being movable .relative to the rear portion so that it may be raised and lowered, a trolley adapted to be guided along said track, a digging and conveying bucket supported by said trolley and adapted to be filled with material when moving forwardly along the movable section of the track, ropes connected to the trolley for moving the same back and forth along the track, and means for automatically dumping the bucket at raised and lowered, a trolley adapted to be guided alongsaid track, a bucket pivotally supported by said trolley, a head rope connected to the trolley for moving the same forwardly and for giving the bucket a digging action when moving along the forward portion of the track, a tail rope for conveying the bucket rearwardly along the track to dumping position, and mechanism for preventing the tilting of the bucket during the digging action.

12. In a digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a boom pivoted to the frame so that it may be swung horizontally, a track carried by the boom and" having its forward porti-on pivoted so that it'luay be raised andY lowered, a trolley/'adapted to be guided along said track, a bucket pivotally supportedIby said trolley, a head rope connected to the trolley for moving the same forwardly aud for giving the bucket a digging action when moving along the forward portion of the track, a tail rope for conveying the bucket'rearwardly along the track to dumping position, mechanism for preventing the tilting of the bucket during the digging action, and means for automatically dumping the contents of the bucket at the rear end of the track. y i

13. Ina digging and conveying apparatus, a frame, a track supported by said frame, the forward portion of the track being pivoted'so that it maybe raised and lowered relative to the rear portion, a trolley adapted to be guided along the track, a bucket trunnioned in said trolley, said bucket being open at the front and having at the rear a pivoted door, means for drawing the trolley and bucket forwardly along the track and for giving the bucket a digging action during the movement along the pivoted portion of the track, a tail rope connected to the trolley for moving the same rearwardly along the track, and a member connected to the 5 track near the rear end thereof for engaging and swinging the door to open position so that the contents' may be automatically dumped from the bucket.

14. In a digging. and conveying' apparal0 tus, a frame, a track extending lengthwise of the frame, the forward portion of the track being pivoted so that it may be raised and lowered, and the track being movable laterally, a trolley adapted to be guided 15 along Said track and having a bucket trun- 'fnioned thereto, said bucket being open at the front and having at the rear a swinging door, the rear portonfof the track being inclined so as to tilt the bucket, a head rope 20 connected to said trolley for moving the bucket when a predetermined tension is 30 placed on the tail rope, and means for automatically lifting the door of the bucket when the latter is tilted at said inclined por tion of the track.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto' affix-my 35 signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT P. GREENLEAF.

Witnesses:

H. R. SULLIVAN, A. F. Kwis. 

